


In the Moment

by CloversDreams



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Black Clover Week, Childhood Friends AU, Day 1, Emotional Hurt, Finral’s family is awful, Fluff and happiness, Instant Best Friends, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death, a fractured bond, a long overdue reunion, all around good times, at first anyway, but he goes out just like in canon, but thats what makes them lovable, full of feelings, he deserves better, i cant believe zaras tag didnt exist, oof I hate that tag, poor finral has a crisis, the black bulls are chaotic, theres a bunny too, these peanuts deserve the world, vanessa is a good bestie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-19 04:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20651534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloversDreams/pseuds/CloversDreams
Summary: Finral looked from one redhead to the other as he asked, “Zara and Zora?”Zara tousled his son’s hair. He had a cheery grin upon his face as he replied, “It’s cool, isn’t it? Not that this guy would agree.”Zora swatted at the hand in his hair and exclaimed, “It’s embarrassing is what it is! Like he didn’t even give my name any thought after the doctors handed me over!”“What can I say? I live in the moment,” Zara snickered.Finral couldn’t help but laugh. He didn’t mean to, but the relationship between the two of them was so sweet and he thought it was absolutely wonderful. He chuckled to himself until his eyes watered. He finally regained control over himself and wiped them with the back of his hand then turned to look at Zora. He watched the other boy’s blue eyes widen. Blush darkened Zora’s cheeks and he turned away with a pout.[Or the chance encounter that changed Finral's life]





	1. A Chance Encounter

“Ten-minute break, young master Finral,” Said the elderly woman with the stern look upon her face. Her gaze was hard, and her words were absolute. “After that we resume your lessons as usual.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Finral hummed in response. He watched the old woman wander out of the room with her chin held in the air. He didn’t know who she was putting that show on for and he didn’t care. His lessons were the worst. They were pointless if you asked him. It wasn’t like he’d ever be as good as Langris, so he really didn’t see the point in trying.

He’d much rather be out exploring the woods that surrounded his family’s estate. He enjoyed spending what little free time he had just being a kid. Finral could always find something interesting in those woods. Whether it be bugs, plants, animals… anything was better than being cooped up inside and reminded of his own shortcomings. His little brother was already the best at everything and they were still both so young. Yeah, yeah, he got it. He heard it on a daily basis.

Finral waited until he couldn’t hear the shuffle of his teacher's shoes anymore then he held up his right hand and activated his grimoire. While he’d only recently gotten it, the magic within felt so natural. Part of him was attuned to it and he knew there was no question that it was meant to be his. The book glowed and hovered ominously before him as he opened a portal. It'd be a quick trip this time. No one would ever know he left.

The thing about spatial magic was that one needed a precise mental image of where they wanted to go in order to get somewhere specific. When he pictured ‘the woods’ it was basically the opposite of that. He knew that he could end up practically anywhere, and not just within the Clover Kingdom. It was a risk he was willing to take. Once he learned the terrain a bit the portals wouldn’t be an issue. For now, he just had to take a chance and see what happened. Anything was better than being cooped up inside all the time.

Finral stepped through the portal and looked around himself. There were trees everywhere as far as the eye could see. He’d managed to make it into some woods, which was exciting. Sure, he was on his own in a strange place, but so what? He could portal back home whenever he wanted. He removed a small sketch pad and pencil from a pouch on his belt then began to write details about what he saw. This could potentially help him return to the same spot– or avoid such if necessary– at another date.

He turned around and took note of the fact that he could just barely see part of his family’s estate through the trees. He hadn’t ended up too far away, then. He jotted that down as well. Finral ventured deeper into the woods and smiled at all of the amazing things he saw. A butterfly flew past him and he watched as it headed up through the branches then out of his line of sight. What freedom such a little thing had.

A bush next to him rustled and as soon as he turned towards it out hopped a brown rabbit. It stopped and wiggled its nose at Finral before it turned and took off running. He couldn’t help but chase after it. Where was it going? What was so urgent? Finral was so curious. He ran until the rabbit turned abruptly and dashed into some thick trees. Finral walked swiftly after it.

The path between the trees was a little bit more perilous so he couldn’t run anymore. That was OK. He could still see the little rabbit hopping along. Twigs snapped beneath his feet as he walked. The rabbit had to know he was hot on its tail. It didn’t pay him any mind. In fact, it seemed so very unthreatened by him that it stopped hopping away then turned to look at him.

Finral blinked at it and watched the way its ears twitched. Maybe he could pet it… if he was careful… He took another step towards the little beastie only to yelp in surprise when the ground beneath his feet gave away. He went into a coughing fit and attempted to swat away all the dirt that had been kicked into the air. Finral held a hand over his mouth and nose while it settled a bit. He looked around himself and realized he’d fallen into a pit of some sort. It probably wasn’t natural.

He heard a little sound and looked up to see the rabbit staring down at him from above. Its nose twitched then it hopped off. Of _course_ he’d been tricked into a trap by a tiny animal. That was just his luck. Finral stood then hissed softly when he felt an ache in his forearm. He looked down at the fresh scratch then rolled his eyes. So much for no one noticing he’d sneaked out. Oh well.

Finral looked around the pit and realized it was way too deep for him to climb out of. That meant he’d have to use his grimoire and head back home. That was a shame. He wanted to explore some more since he’d never been to this part of the woods before. He was about to go ahead and leave when he heard a rustling sound above him. Had that silly rabbit come back to gloat? He looked up and to his surprise instead of a rabbit, there was a boy leaning over the side of the pit and watching him.

The two of them blinked at each other. Finral took note of his bright red hair and deep blue eyes. He hadn’t seen this boy before. Actually, he hadn’t seen many other children besides his brother. It looked like the redhead was a few years older than him, probably a teenager. That was interesting. He turned his head when the silly little rabbit from earlier peeked over the side of the pit and wiggled its ears at him. Finral made a face at it.

“Did Brownie trap you? She’s too smart for her own good.” The red-haired boy snickered.

“Is the rabbit your pet?” Finral asked curiously. Maybe that’s why she wasn’t so concerned about him being close earlier.

The red-haired boy shook his head. “Not really. More like she tolerates me sometimes.”

“Oh.”

“Here, let me get you out of that hole.” The boy disappeared from the edge of the pit.

“You don’t have to, it’s fi–” Finral didn’t have the chance to finish the thought before a rope hit him right in the face. He shook his head and then caught and looked at it.

“Well? Climb out, already,” the other boy called.

Finral hadn’t ever done anything like that before. However, he was well aware that he never _would_ get to try new things if he just stood around like an idiot. There was no time like the present. He studied the rope in his hands and realized there seemed to be knots all along it. He could only assume that was so he had a place to grip. OK he got the gist of it. Now he just had to put it to practical use.

After a handful of failed attempts and way more physical effort than he’d probably exerted in his life, Finral finally managed to climb out of the pit. His legs gave out as soon as he was on solid ground again. He flopped onto his back and took deep breaths. That had been way more strenuous than he could describe. He didn’t even remember he had company until he heard the other boy speak.

“That was embarrassing,” The redhead snickered.

“I’ve never had to do anything like that before,” Finral admitted. He was actually rather proud of his accomplishment.

“It showed.” The red-haired boy snorted. He smiled a crooked smile at him and said, “I’m Zora, by the way. You already met Brownie.”

Finral felt a soft bump against his hand. He turned to see the rabbit from earlier headbutt his palm gently. He couldn’t help but smile as he pat it on the head. No hard feelings, he supposed.

“What’s your name, then?” Zora asked.

“Finral.” He only offered up his first, just as the other boy had. Though he probably would’ve done the same either way.

Zora looked him over then tilted his head and asked, “What happened? Not getting enough attention from your fancy noble parents so you ran away from home in hopes that they’d notice? Then you fell into a ditch like a dummy?”

Finral stiffened at his words. He blinked at the redhead a few times before he finally asked, “What? How’d you know I’m…”

“Your clothes could probably pay for my house and a second one to sit on top of it,” Zora replied.

“Ah.” He wasn’t sure he’d go that far but the point was loud and clear. Whether he intended to or not, he looked like the noble he was. That couldn’t really be helped since he didn’t control what clothes he had. He blinked a few times when Zora offered him his hand and waited.

Finral accepted the help and let himself be pulled to his feet. He grunted softly when his arm ached from the effort. Oh, yeah, he’d forgotten about his little injury. It really wasn’t so bad. He could probably get it all sorted out before any one back home even noticed.

“You’re hurt,” Zora said softly as he looked down at the arm in question.

Finral shrank into himself just a bit. He held his arm against his chest then shook his head and muttered, “No, I’m fine.”

Zora ignored him and said, “Come on, follow me. My dad is the one that dug this hole so he’s the one that’ll patch you up after it injured you. It’s only fair.”

“That’s really not necessary…” Finral didn’t want to be a bother to anyone. He knew he should just go home and take care of it himself.

“Come on, noble-boy. Let us poor old commoners do this one thing for you. It’ll give us a sense of purpose in the world and a tale that we can tell future generations to come.” Zora turned and looked at him over his shoulder.

“You don’t have to say it like that,” Finral muttered as he followed the redhead.

“You need to relax, I’m just messing with ya. Besides, my dad trains really hard every single day. It’s gonna pay off when he becomes the first ever commoner to become a Magic Knight one day, you’ll see. Then we will be on equal grounds with all you jerks.” Zora beamed with pride. He continued to do so as he talked about his father.

Finral couldn’t help but be entranced by his story. He’d never seen someone so proud of, or happy to talk about their family like that. It was really sweet. It made him forget his own problems and completely believe in this man he’d never even met. In fact, listening to the redhead as he followed made him completely forget about his own pain.

They finally arrived at a modest little cottage surrounded by trees and Finral watched as Zora waltzed right inside without a care in the world. He waited at the threshold, unsure if he was allowed to cross without a specific invitation. He didn’t want to be rude. He jumped when he heard Zora yell, “Daaad! You here?”

“Zora, you’re back! Great! Come here and smell this!”

“Absolutely not. There’s no way I’m falling for that again.” Zora quickly refused. Finral could practically hear him shake his head furiously. Not a moment later he spoke again. “Besides, we have a guest.”

“We do?”

“Yeah he’s– huh? One sec!”

Finral jumped when Zora’s head appeared in the doorway. The redhead motioned for him to follow and said, “Come in before he thinks you’re imaginary. I’ll never hear the end of that.”

It was an odd invitation, but he’d take it. When he finally meandered inside Finral was yanked into another room. He didn’t even have time to yelp. He also wasn’t sure anyone had closed that door behind them. Was that safe? Did they always do this kind of thing? Finral’s eyes widened when his gaze fell upon a man with the exact same striking red hair and deep blue eyes as Zora. There was no doubt they were related.

“See!” Zora motioned to the scrapes on Finral’s arm. “Look at what your pitfall did to him. You need to be more careful about where you put those things.”

The red-haired man put a hand on his chin and hummed to himself. He looked from the scrape to the boys then said, “Really? No one usually wanders around that area which is why I thought it was a safe spot. Ah, well. Come on in and sit down. I’ll get the bandages.”

“Oh, I really don’t want to be any trouble…” Finral mumbled mostly to himself.

“That’s good. Zora there is enough trouble for me,” The man snickered. A cheerful grin spread across his face and he was clearly on the verge of laughing at his own joke.

“_Dad_…” Zora groaned.

The man held up his hands in surrender then wandered out of the room. “Yeah, yeah, I’m goin’.”

Zora sighed then shook his head. He shut his eyes and muttered, “Sorry about him. I forgot to warn you he’s a bit ridiculous.” He motioned for Finral to take a seat on the couch while they waited.

While the boy said one thing it was obvious to Finral that he truly cared about his father. There was a gleam in his eyes and a little smile upon his face. Not to mention the way he’d praised the man all the way back to the cottage. Finral couldn’t help but be just a bit awestruck. He sat where instructed and offered a knowing smile of his own. Zora raised a curious eyebrow at him.

The red-haired man returned with a hearty laugh. He didn’t confirm or deny that accusation he’d overheard. He sat down across from Finral and got right to work cleaning then wrapping his scrapes. Once that was all said and done he beamed and offered the purple-eyed boy his hand. “Name’s Zara Ideale. Nice to meet you. Sorry about the trap business.”

“Finral.” He shook the offered hand firmly as he’d been taught to do. It was the proper response when greeting another. He blinked a few times then his brow knitted together and he tilted his head. He looked from one redhead to the other as he asked, “Zara and Zora?”

Zara released his hand so he could tousle his son’s hair. He had a cheery grin upon his face as he replied, “It’s cool, isn’t it? Not that this guy would agree.”

Zora swatted at the hand in his hair and exclaimed, “It’s embarrassing is what it is! Like he didn’t even give my name any thought after the doctors handed me over!”

“What can I say? I live in the moment,” Zara snickered.

Finral couldn’t help but laugh. He didn’t mean to, but the relationship between the two of them was so sweet and he thought it was absolutely wonderful. His own father certainly wouldn’t ever joke around so carefreely like this. He chuckled to himself until his eyes watered. He finally regained control over himself and wiped them with the back of his hand then turned to look at Zora. He watched the other boy’s blue eyes widen. Blush darkened Zora’s cheeks and he turned away with a pout.

“I’m so hungry I could eat an entire boar by myself,” Zara declared loudly. He grinned like an absolute madman and asked, “You hungry, Finral?

Finral turned towards him and smiled nervously. He nodded once then muttered, “A little, I suppose.”

“You’re in luck, then!” Zara motioned over his shoulder with his thumb. “The stew I was making is ready now so you should join us for a meal. It’s the least I can do.”

“Um, well, if you’re sure I won’t be a bother…” Finral mumbled softly. He looked over at Zora to find that the other boy wouldn’t look at him. If he’d overstayed his welcome he could just leave. There was plenty of food back home.

Zara slapped his son on the back playfully and declared, “The more the merrier, right Zora!”

Zora glanced at Finral but quickly averted his gaze. He rubbed the back of his neck and nodded as he mumbled, “Yeah.”

Finral smiled from ear to ear. He liked the idea of hanging around for a bit as long as no one disapproved. He followed Zara into the kitchen and laughed at the terrible pun he made about the stew. Honestly, Finral thought the guy was a delight. Every single thing that Zora complained about being embarrassing just tickled him pink. The amused gleam in his eyes and little smile on his face told Finral that Zora was also tickled by his father’s antics. He’d never seen a happier pair than the two of them before.

It was a bit later than Finral probably should’ve stayed away from home by the time he finally realized he had to head back. He thanked both Zara and Zora for their hospitality as he knew was the polite thing to do. Only this time it was heartfelt. He wasn’t just saying it to make his parents or teacher happy. He had a smile on his face as he said goodbye and stepped out of the cottage.

He shut the door behind himself and stepped off the front porch. He’d had a really good day and didn’t want to ruin that by opening a portal in their home. Finral had no idea if that was rude or not. He figured it was better not to risk it. He held up his hand and a portal appeared, swirling and beautiful.

Finral was sure he had a stern talking to waiting for him when he got back home. Somehow that didn’t bother him at all after the fun afternoon he’d had. He turned and looked over his shoulder to see Zora watching him in the window. He smiled from ear to ear and waved at the other boy then turned back around and stepped into the portal.

♧  


It was just under three weeks before Finral had himself a bit of free time again. He was kept on a pretty tight leash after his last disappearing act. The scolding had only been the beginning and he’d been assigned a guard to keep him in check. He swore the guy was like a shadow. He never even blinked. There wasn’t a single chance for Finral to slip away. It was the worst. The only thing that got him through the terrible time was thinking about what fun he’d had with the Ideales. He often wondered how the pair were doing. He could just imagine the terrible dad-jokes that Zara had come up with and the way that Zora tried not to snicker. Finral bet they were hilarious.

He’d eaten his lunch then asked for permission to go outside and play unattended for once. Finral had done this everyday and it had been a ‘no’ each time. To his surprise his father agreed this time around. It was probably because he was distracted by something amazing Langris had done. Finral didn’t care. He’d gotten the answer he’d hoped for and would make the best of it. He thanked his father then scurried off before the man could change his mind.

As soon as he stepped outside he opened a portal and hopped through. He didn’t want to risk anyone tailing him so walking to his destination was out of the question. He ended up by a familiar pitfall. Evidently they hadn’t bothered to cover it back up. Finral blinked a few times. A couple feet to the left and he would’ve been inside the thing. That would’ve been embarrassing. He kicked a pebble and watched it roll off the edge and into the pit below.

There was a rustle of leaves to his right and he turned towards it. Finral watched a familiar brown rabbit hop out from behind a bush. She stopped and wriggled her nose at him. He smiled and greeted her softly. It was always nice to see a familiar face. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard someone speak.

“Didn’t think I’d see you again.”

Finral spun around to see Zora standing behind him with a bunch of logs in his arms. The redhead blinked at him and then gave him a curious once over. Finral immediately shook his hands and squeaked, “Oh! Sorry! If I’m being a bother, I’ll just go…” He turned and raised his arm in preparation to summon another portal. He could spend his free time elsewhere.

“Hold on,” Zora said before he could cast the spell. He waited for Finral to turn back towards him then continued, “I didn’t say anything like that. Sheesh. Do you always automatically assume the worst like that?”

Finral blinked as he mulled that over. Back home it was better to do just that. What this boy referred to as ‘the worst’ was just the norm there. He supposed that he’d never really thought about it before. His family preferred he make himself scarce and so he did. At this point it was second nature to him and he didn’t even stop to think that someone might want him to stick around. He smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck since he wasn’t sure how to put something like that into words.

“Weirdo,” Zora snorted. He was silent as he watched the other boy until he finally looked at him. When their eyes met he shoved the logs he held at Finral and said, “Since you’re here, you can help.”

Finral squeaked and grabbed as many of the logs as he could. A couple still tumbled out of his grip and he gave Zora an apologetic look. The redhead simply sighed then picked up the extras and motioned for him to follow. They headed back in the direction they’d gone last time. Finral knew it was the way back to the redhead’s house. He didn’t mind going there again, it had been nice last time.

“So you finally managed to sneak away again, huh?” Zora asked loudly. He looked at Finral out of the corner of his eye and added, “There isn’t a search party looking for you is there?”

Finral shook his head. “No, I have permission to be outside today. I decided I'd visit these woods again.”

“I’m surprised my dad didn’t scare you off with how he acted like a complete dork when you visited before,” Zora said then he focused his attention forward again. He continued to lead the way and avoid any traps they’d set.

“I thought he was funny,” Finral admitted as a smile spread across his face.

“You and him both,” Zora muttered. A smile played at the edges of his lips.

Finral was glad to find that Zara welcomed him back to their home with open arms. Literally. The man squeezed him so tightly that he had to tap on his shoulder and remind him he needed air. He was so pleased. Their home was such a warm, loving place full of laughter. After they dropped off the wood, he and Zora were given permission to go out and have a bit of fun. They spent the rest of the day roaming the woods together. From plants to animals and everything else in between, Finral found himself amazed by the extent of the redhead’s knowledge. Even his constant studying hadn’t taught him nearly as much as he learned in the few hours he spent with the other boy. It was amazing.

Perhaps best of all was the fact that Zora was so nice. He was also a lot like his father and rather silly, not that he’d ever admit it. Finral thought it was amazing. He was glad that they became instant friends. Even better was the fact that Zora told him to come back whenever he wanted for a visit. Finral absolutely would.

Any chance he got to escape from home for a bit he’d use to pop over to visit Zora. He loved to listen to the redhead talk proudly about his father’s training. That man worked harder to achieve his goal than anyone Finral had ever met. He always did so with a smile and chipper outlook on life. It was hard not to root for him to get everything he wanted. Finral certainly believed he’d achieve his goals.

Finral spent a lot of time exploring the woods with Zora. Every free chance he got, actually. He would always get extra happy to see the redhead greet him with a smile when he stepped out of a portal. Sometimes he’d bring special snacks or a book from home. Zora was always fascinated by them. Finral even brought Brownie carrots enough times that she let him pet her and would even hop onto his lap if they were sitting. He beamed every time she did that.

Months went by and the two of them only grew closer. Finral was happy to have someone to call a friend. He was pretty sure Zora was happy to have someone else around to be the butt of his father’s practical jokes once in a while. Finral didn’t mind that at all. They were all in good fun. Plus, all the time he and Zora got to spend together was worth a small price like that.

Little did he know that his constant disappearing from home hadn’t gone unnoticed. It certainly came as a surprise one afternoon when he was minding his own business and admiring some cute little blue flowers that he suddenly heard his brother’s voice.

He was shocked to find he’d been followed. He really didn’t think anyone cared enough to do something like that. Too bad his brother wasn’t there to hang out. That would’ve been nice. He only seemed to want to reinforce all the things he’d said a million times before. It was all Finral could do to stand there and nod as Langris went on about how he was ‘a waste of space’ and their teachers ‘shouldn’t even bother to try teaching someone so dumb’.

Of course Finral didn’t believe those things to be true. He also didn’t want to make his little brother feel bad by calling him wrong. In the end he was too chicken to stand up for himself and just ended up a stuttering mess.

Langris eventually got tired of telling him off and said, “Nothing to say for yourself, as usual, because you know I’m right. You’re a disgrace.” He turned and left without another word.

Finral let out a sigh of relief when he was alone again. While he personally knew that there was more to the guy, his brother’s overpowering aura must’ve been really disturbing for the local wildlife. He felt bad about that when he realized he didn’t even hear any birds chirping around himself. They’d probably been scared off, poor things.

“Why would you let someone talk to you like that?”

Finral jumped at the sound of Zora’s voice. He turned to look at the redhead and saw that he had a terrible look upon his face. It was like he’d just been force-fed lemons. Finral bowed his head and kicked a twig near his foot. This was exactly what he’d hoped wouldn’t ever happen. Oh, well. There was no going back now. Time to come clean. His voice was a shaky whisper as he said, “That was my brother. I’m… well… I guess you’d say I’m my family’s black sheep.”

Zora narrowed his eyes at him and asked, “What do you mean?”

“I can’t do anything right or live up to their standards. I’m nowhere near as amazing as my younger brother and because of that everyone I care about thinks I’m a loser, heh.” Finral hadn’t ever said that out loud before. It hit harder than he thought it would. He felt the sting of tears as they pooled in his eyes. He refused to let them fall right now. That would have to wait until he was back home and alone. He looked positively defeated as he added, “I understand if you don’t want to be friends with me anymore.”

There was silence for a long moment after that. Finral was sure that was proof enough that the redhead figured he was worthless too. It stung, but he couldn’t really blame him. This was bound to happen. It had been a matter of time. He gasped and looked up when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“The only person I don’t want to be friends with is your awful brother,” Zora assured him. He smiled warmly then flicked Finral’s forehead. “Don’t look so sad. From where I stand, _you’re_ the one worth having around.”

Finral’s eyes widened and his bottom lip quivered. He quickly wiped the corners of his eyes before any tears escaped them without his permission. He blinked a few times to see Zora was still smiling at him. He couldn’t help but smile right back. There was no one else in the whole world like the redhead and Finral was so grateful to have met him. He watched Zora motion for him to follow and then turn around and start prattling on about how he’d chased and almost caught a fox the other day. Finral hurried to catch up so he could hear the entirety of the tale. It sounded like a good one.

It was a brisk afternoon a few weeks later when the two of them were out looking for anything interesting together that something changed. Or perhaps it was better to say something amazing happened. Finral noticed a really cool rock on the ground. He couldn’t wait to show Zora. He bent down to pick it up then paused when a hand landed atop his.

He blinked a few times then looked up to see Zora had also bent down to pick up the same rock. They didn’t move a muscle as they simply waited for the other to react. Neither of them pulled away. Finral couldn’t be sure, but it didn’t seem like either of them was breathing. He continued to watch the redhead as he did something bold. Finral flipped his hand over then threaded their fingers together. His heart threatened to beat right out of his chest when Zora’s gaze fell to their intertwined hands.

To Finral’s surprise, when those blue eyes looked at him again, he could see the smile that was about to spread across his face before it even started. He smiled as well when Zora squeezed his hand then motioned for him to go ahead and take the rock. Finral did so with his free hand then studied it for a moment. It was an oval and just smaller than the palm of his hand. Perfect for keeping in one’s pocket for luck. He was pretty sure he’d heard that was a thing.

The two of them continued to hold hands as they looked for any other potential hidden treasures around them. They found a couple more noteworthy rocks, some pretty cool bugs, and even an abandoned bird’s nest. In Finral’s opinion they all paled in comparison to the rock he’d slipped into his pocket earlier.

He was all smiles and couldn’t seem to stop blushing by the time he finally had to leave that afternoon. Zora’s cheeks were also a lovely shade of pink. Finral didn’t call him out on it. He simply said his usual goodbye with the promise to return and see him as soon as he could. Zora seemed happy enough about that.

Finral spent the next few days completely lost in thoughts of the redhead. He couldn’t focus on lessons. He’d zone out and stare at his hand, or the red roses in the vases that lined the halls of his home, for undetermined amounts of time. Those flowers reminded him of Zora’s hair. So pretty. When it was time for bed and he knew no one would bother him he’d remove the rock he’d brought home from the drawer of his nightstand.

He rubbed his thumb along it and turned it over in his hand. Such a simple thing made him so happy to look at. It was incredible. A thought occurred to him and he gasped. He bet he could make it even more special. He grabbed a dagger with a jeweled handle from its stand atop the same nightstand. It was either there for decoration or self-defense. He forgot which. Didn’t matter. It had a different purpose now.

The tip of Finral’s tongue stuck out of his mouth as he concentrated and carefully carved ‘Z+F’ into the rock. He smiled warmly at the completed piece. Now it really was the most amazing rock ever to exist. He set the dagger aside and beamed as he ran his thumb along the new letters. He couldn’t believe just how lucky he’d been to meet someone as special as Zora. Finral held the rock to his chest and let out a happy little squeak.

The next time they saw one another Zora casually took Finral’s hand and lead him to some ‘amazing thing’ he wanted to share. Finral didn’t even know where they were going. He didn’t care. He was just so happy to be able to hold Zora’s hand again. He must’ve been smiling like a complete goofball because when Zora turned towards him after he didn’t answer a question he’d asked he stopped walking then cocked an eyebrow at him. Then Zora asked what was so funny. Finral couldn’t even tell him.

After that it became commonplace for the two of them to hold hands when they were on their own. They also tended to sit closer than strictly necessary to one another. They both took comfort in being close to the other. It wasn’t like anyone else ever wandered that part of the woods, either. So there was no one to judge them or tell them they were wrong for doing so. It was their place where the two of them were free to do as they pleased.

A few more months came and went, and the weather cooled off. With that came Zora’s birthday. Finral was thrilled to get the invitation to spend the day with him and his father. He even asked his family’s chef to make him some special cupcakes for the event. He paced just outside of the kitchen as he eagerly awaited them. He didn’t know what kind of gift he could possibly get the redhead. What would show him just how grateful he was that they’d met? Nothing he thought of could express the sentiment. He hoped the sweets would make him happy at least.

The baker noticed his anxious pacing and invited him into the kitchen. Finral got to watch in awe as the kind old man expertly piped three perfect roses made of red icing atop the cupcakes. Then he offered the piping bag to Finral. He’d never done anything like that before and probably wouldn’t be any good at it, knowing him. Still, if it was for his best friend he was willing to try. He let the baker guide him in an attempt to decorate the last three cupcakes.

In the end he had three beautiful, professionally made cupcakes with incredible roses atop them. Then there were three with sad red blobs for decoration. He scrunched his face at the ones he’d tried to decorate. He should probably just bring the three nice ones. The others kind of ruined the mood. The baker insisted that he bring those too since ‘anything baked with love tastes way better than it looks’.

Finral waited for the cupcakes to be boxed up then thanked the baker with a giddy smile. He held onto the box firmly then hurried out of the estate as fast as he could without actually running. Once outside, he opened a portal and practically leaped through. When he stepped out of it and saw Zora and Zara standing outside of their home cheering excitedly, he smiled from ear to ear. Evidently the party had already started.

The sound of someone approaching caught Zora's attention. He turned and then waved Finral over. He was happy as could be as he exclaimed, “You’ll never guess the amazing birthday gift I just got!”

“Oh! Don’t make me wait!” Finral felt just as excited as the two of them looked. Their positive energy was infectious.

Zara put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest proudly. His smile stretched across his entire face as he declared, “You’re looking at the newest member of the Purple Orcas.”

“Really?!” Finral shrieked and nearly dropped the box he held. He absolutely understood all the excitement now. Heck, he wasn’t sure everyone was excited enough. This was huge news.

Zara cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled, “You heard it here first, world! I, Zara Ideale, am the first ever commoner to become a Magic Knight! I promise I won’t be the last!”

“That’s incredible! Congratulations, mister Zara!” Finral chirped. He’d never met anyone as worthy as this man to become a Magic Knight. He was so happy to witness firsthand that dreams really could come true with a little hard work and determination.

“Please, _mister Zara_ was my father… well, no, I guess it wasn’t but… I've told you to call me plain old Zara anyway!” The man replied as cheerily as ever. No, perhaps he was even more cheery than before. If that was even possible.

Finral laughed heartily along with him. He turned towards Zora, who was happier than he’d ever seen him, and just smiled. What a wonderful sight to see. When the other boy looked in his direction Finral offered him the box he held. He smiled shyly and felt blush darken his cheeks as he said, “I know they’re nowhere near as amazing as your other gift but… happy birthday, Zora.”

Both Zora and Zara looked into the box when he opened it. They blinked a few times at the contents. Zara muttered, “These look…”

“Yeah, sorry, I tried to decorate the top ones myself,” Finral admitted with a nervous chuckle. He didn’t look at either of them as he added, “You can just throw those away and eat the ones the baker made. I promise they’re delicious.”

“Absolutely fantastic!” Zara continued his thought from earlier.

“I agree, I think the top row look even tastier than the bottom.” Zora looked up from the cupcakes and continued to smile as he hummed, “Thank you, Finral.”

Finral’s cheeks burned as they darkened even more. He couldn’t believe his first attempt ever at something like this would get such a warm reception. These two really were the most amazing people he’d ever met. He couldn’t be any more grateful for that chance encounter that had brought them together. He blinked away the happy tears in his eyes then suggested they all go inside since they had so much to celebrate. Plus, the cupcakes would go great with some nice milk.

A mere two months later it was time to celebrate Finral’s birthday. Although that was more exhausting than one would believe. He wasn’t even allowed to leave the estate that day. It was a big deal because his family made a grand showing of their eldest son’s birth. It was amazing considering they didn’t care what he did for the other 364 days of the year. As usual, the party felt like it was thrown more for them than him.

Sure, he got thoughtless gifts and empty praise from strangers but that didn’t matter. His parents were the ones in the spotlight. He simply sat in his assigned chair and thanked all the people with forgettable faces for attending the event. It was the same every year. Though it was kind of amazing to think this was nothing compared to the ostentatious events they threw for his brother’s birthday. Finral didn’t care either way. The whole time he wished he could’ve invited the only two people he actually wanted to see that day.

He didn’t manage to go back to that little cabin in the woods until the next afternoon. To his surprise, both Zora and Zara were waiting for him. The pair smiled from ear to ear as they offered him a cake they’d made yesterday. Finral was floored by their generosity. He never expected them to remember or want to celebrate his birthday. After spending the actual date watching his parents getting praised for nothing whatsoever this really hit home. He teared up and bowed his head.

“What are you cryin’ for? Is it cause we didn’t get you a gift? This was the best we could do.” Zora muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck slowly. He looked a bit worried about the response he’d get.

Finral gasped and looked up at him. He grabbed Zora’s shoulders and shrieked, “It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten!” He honestly couldn’t think of a single thing that had ever come close to this.

“That’s kind of sad… but don’t worry, I’ve got forever to get you something even better. I’ll get you the perfect gift one day.” Zora smirked with his declaration. There was confidence in his voice.

Finral’s eyes widened. He let his hands fall away from the other boy and averted his gaze. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind his left ear then looked back at him with a hopeful gleam in his eyes as he asked, “Do you really think we’ll be friends forever?”

“Of course we will.” Zora nodded.

“Probably even longer than that, knowing you two!” Zara laughed as he pat them both on the back at the same time. He took the cake from Zora, held it up and declared, “Now let’s feast like kings!”

Finral smiled from ear to ear and nodded. Forever, huh? He liked the sound of that. He couldn’t be any happier in this perfect moment.

♧

As it turned out, _forever_ was too tall an order for the friendship in question. They couldn’t possibly have known what darkness was on the horizon at the time. Not that it would’ve cushioned the blow if they did.

Six weeks after his birthday, tragedy struck. During what was supposed to have been a routine visit at the Ideale residence, Finral was given some horrible news. Zara, a man that shined brighter than the sun itself, had been killed while on a mission with his fellow Purple Orcas. He didn’t want to believe it. How could such a cruel fate befall such an amazing person? Was the world really such an awful place?

Finral cried just as much as Zora that day. They held hands as they visited his grave together. They stood before it in silence and whimpered to themselves. They learned the hard way that wishing something wasn’t true with all their being wouldn’t actually change anything. It was a tough lesson on both of them.

Finral noticed that Zora hadn’t smiled or joked around once. Not that he had much reason to right now. It still hurt his heart to see that his best friend lost all the spark and happiness within him that had once been so blinding. Life wasn’t fair at all. He stayed with Zora until after dark. The redhead didn’t even grunt when he said he had to leave for the night. Finral’s heart ached for him.

He awoke bright and early the next day. Part of him wished yesterday had been a dream, though he knew it was impossible. Finral planned to spend the whole day with Zora. He knew that the redhead needed someone right now. He’d do whatever he could, even if it was just being there. His plan was thwarted when he was intercepted by his father before he could leave that morning.

Unavoidable lessons. Today of all days. He begged to push them back but the man refused, saying the teacher was only there for a few hours. Finral reluctantly obeyed his father’s wishes and attended the exclusive lesson. Of course he didn’t learn a thing. He couldn’t focus. His mind was elsewhere.

It had already gotten dark by the time he finally stepped out of a portal in front of the familiar cottage. It was so quiet. There was usually the sound of laughter in the air. Now the silence was practically deafening. He knocked on the door and waited. No answer. Finral understood if Zora didn’t want to see anyone. He just wanted to be sure he was OK. He peeked in through one of the windows and couldn’t see the redhead anywhere. Where would he go at this hour?

Oh. Finral hurried over to the nearby graveyard. He was surprised to hear laughter when he was almost there. A pair of men wearing purple robes walked by him and talked among themselves. If they noticed him they didn’t bother to say anything. He didn’t pay them any mind either and continued on his way. It was a few footsteps later that he had a realization. He stopped and turned to look at them over his shoulder.

Were those Purple Orcas? As in other Magic Knights from Zara’s former squad? Were they on the way back from his grave? Why the heck were they _laughing_? Finral grunted when someone ran right into him. He immediately recognized Zora and saw that he had a steady stream of tears flowing down his face. Finral’s own eyes began to water at the sight. He put a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“Don’t touch me!” Zora yelled as he slapped the offending hand away.

Finral gasped. “Wh… sorry! I meant to come earlier but–”

“Just shut up already!” Zora cut him off.

“Zora…”

“Don’t say my name like that!” Zora balled his hands into fists. He glared daggers at Finral as he exclaimed, “I hate nobles like you! Your kind are the reason my dad is dead! Just get out of here! I never want to see your stupid face again!”

Finral’s heart shattered into a million pieces when he heard those words from his best friend of all people. It wasn’t that he wasn’t used to rejection– far from it, in fact– he’d just figured their bond was special. Evidently not. His bottom lip quivered and he took a step away from the redhead. The hard look in those blue eyes said all he needed to know about just how serious Zora was. His voice was a shaky whisper when he finally managed to speak.

“I thought… you were different… but you’re just like all the rest of them…” Finral burst into tears. He didn’t care if it made him look like a big baby. There was no holding them back right now. He reached into his pocket and removed the rock he’d been carrying around as a good luck charm since he’d carved their initials into it. He tossed it at Zora’s feet then turned and ran off as he cried, “I hate you too!”

He didn’t mean it. He couldn’t even believe he’d said it. He had absolutely no idea what to do with himself so he ran until he collapsed. There was a sharp pain in his knee where he’d scraped it when he fell, and he didn’t care. Finral whimpered softly as he dug his fingers into the earth beneath his palms. He managed to stand then finally opened a portal to his bedroom. Once there he collapsed onto his bed and wept. He cried over the fact that he’d said that. He cried over what cruel things Zora said to him. He cried over the horrible truth that Zara was gone. He continued to cry until he had no more tears and was left with an empty feeling inside.  


♧

  
Years passed and Finral never once went back to those woods. He’d thought about it, sure, but every time he did all he could see was that serious look in Zora’s eyes as he told him he never wanted to see him again. Then of course there was his own reaction. All the regret in the world wouldn’t change what happened. There was nothing left for him there.

Eventually he came to believe he’d imagined that family and the good times they’d shared. Of course it wasn’t true, but that was easier to deal with. That was how he’d convinced himself never to seek out that cottage in the woods again. There wouldn’t be anyone there to greet him if he did.

Over those few years his relationship with his family members deteriorated even further. He didn’t even know such a thing was possible. Maybe it was because he’d seen what kind of potential relationship he’d been cheated out of. He didn’t know. Finral dealt with their constant berating him on a daily basis. It finally became the truth in his mind. He didn’t even question the terrible things they said to him anymore and would even mutter apologies for being such a disappointment.

Which is exactly what he was. No amount of lessons or training would ever change that. He’d missed his chance to ever amount to anything in his family’s eyes. It was a hard truth. In that case, he just decided to embrace it. He fell so far into his role as a failure that he finally gave up trying to be anything else. That lead to his biggest decision of all. He left home, took his mother’s maiden name, and didn’t once look back.

They’d most likely be disappointed in his decision but what else was new? It wasn’t like they could treat him any worse than they already did. Finral wanted to know what it was like to live with the freedom to make all his own decisions for once. He quickly realized that without them breathing down his neck about things that were out of his control, the world was his oyster. He planned to get his flirt on and have all sorts of fun in the process. That much was long overdue. It was time for him to live his best life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Childhood friends is one of my absolute fav tropes!! Im so happy to kick off the week with writing it for this ship!! And its my first multichap fic for the pair too <3
> 
> Finral got his grimoire just a bit younger than canon in this au
> 
> It was a pleasure to write for an actual ray of sunshine like Zara… so sad to have to kill him off. Even sadder knowing that hed never want the two of them to have a falling out because of him T_T
> 
> Smol bean Zora blushing when Finral smiles at him?? yes. Adorable. They make my heart ache
> 
> Sweet boys. Lets hope you two can get your shit together when youre all growed up.  
…Or ill have to fight fate itself


	2. Fate and other Annoyances

It didn’t take very long for Finral to realize he was actually quite hopeless when it came to the art that was flirting. Every line that he thought would land was an absolute flop. That didn’t stop him from trying, though. He was out there living the way he wanted to for once. Successful or not at picking up ladies, he was having fun and that was what counted. He’d find the right girl eventually. One that totally got him starting at that first pickup line. She was out there somewhere.

It was just after his 20th birthday when he realized that it felt like there was something missing from his life. Sure, he’d been having fun for the past few years, but he was sure there had to be more out there. There had to be something he could do with himself that was more fulfilling. He hadn’t even celebrated his birthday again this year. He told himself that he’d never do that unless he had someone to celebrate with. He hadn’t exactly been successful in that department. Oh well. There was always next year.

After yet another failed attempt at buying a lovely lady a drink, he’d left the bar he was in. He wasn’t exactly discouraged, just a little tired of things never going his way. Finral wandered down the street until he came upon a board full of notices. Sometimes these had interesting events advertised so he liked to check them out. One flyer in particular caught his eye.

** _Magic Knight Entrance Exam   
Tomorrow_ **

Finral blinked at the flyer. He didn’t know how he hadn’t heard of it until the very last minute. Normally those exams were all anyone ever talked about. He tended to ignore those conversations because they didn’t have anything to do with him. This time, though, his mind wandered to a man he once knew. He hadn’t thought about Zara in years, but seeing the flyer made it feel like just yesterday the guy had become a Magic Knight. Both he and Zora were so proud they could hardly contain it.

Zora… Well there was a name he didn’t think could still make his gut twist so violently. Ugh, he hated the feeling. Now wasn’t the time. He pushed thoughts of the last time they’d seen one another aside and continued to stare at the flyer. He suddenly felt like he would be a disappointment to Zara. As he was today, he hadn’t accomplished anything in life. He’d only been living up to the loser title his family had given him.

Finral frowned to himself. It was almost as if the flyer was calling out to him. Maybe he should try out. Just for kicks. He wouldn’t ever get into a squad and he could pat himself on the back for the effort. If nothing else, it could be an ode to a great man. Yeah. For Zara. He owed the man’s memory that much, at least. OK. It was settled. Tomorrow.

Life sure had a sense of humor. Finral realized that when he was informed that he’d been accepted into a Magic Knight squad. Even though he didn’t use his family’s name or have offensive magic… somehow… _someone_ had seen him worthy enough to keep around. He was positively floored. Never in a million years would he have thought this would happen. The tiniest part of him was just a bit proud of his accomplishment. While he might not have made something of himself yet, this was certainly a step in the right direction.

He supposed there was one person he needed to tell the good news to. He'd put off is visit for far too long. The time had finally arrived. Finral waited until it was the middle of the night then opened himself a portal and stepped through.

The ground beneath his feet felt tougher than he remembered as he walked through the dark woods. The crunch he heard with each new step was borderline eerie. Had it really been so long that he’d forgotten what he’d once been familiar with? No, perhaps it had changed over the years. Just as he did. It was inevitable.

He reached the graveyard and let out a calming breath. Then he walked up to the familiar headstone and removed a single rose from the bag upon his hip. His gaze shifted to read the name engraved upon the slab, _Zara Ideale_, as if it could possibly be anyone else’s grave he stood before.

Finral sighed and then knelt before the headstone. He put his free hand flat against the cool slab and said softly, “Hey there, mister Zara– oh, sorry… plain old Zara. It’s been a long time. I should’ve stopped by sooner but as it turns out I’m pretty spineless, heh.” Finral paused and thought about how the man in question wouldn’t stand for him putting himself down like that. He would’ve gotten a mini lecture followed by a pat on the head.

Tears pooled in his eyes and he cleared his throat then said, “I wanted to finally visit so I could thank you. Without your inspiration I never would’ve sought the path of becoming a Magic Knight. I was accepted into a squad and my life finally has a purpose I didn’t know it needed. I’m here because I wanted to share this news with the one person that might actually be proud of me.”

Finral bowed his head and squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn’t do anything to stop the tears that dripped from them. His voice was a shaky whisper when he finally added, “The world was a better place with you in it. I’m sorry about what happened. I hope you’re happy wherever you are now.”

The little hairs on the back of Finral’s neck stood on end. He didn’t care for the sudden feeling that he was being watched. By a grave in the middle of the night? It was creepy. He placed the rose he held onto the grave then stood up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He didn’t dare look around himself lest he see something he didn’t want to. He quickly opened a portal to his favorite bar and stepped through. It was time to test his newest pickup line then drink until he forgot his problems.

As it turned out, the Black Bulls were a bunch of certifiable lunatics. Finral quickly learned that every last one of them had a few screws loose, including the captain. And yet they welcomed him into their little family with open arms and warm hearts. Finral hadn’t felt so at home since meeting the Ideales all those years ago. He could hardly believe what he’d been missing out on all this time. He was glad that fate had steered him in the right direction.

As the months passed he grew to adore the bunch of misfits he called his squadmates. They were more than a little trouble and he wouldn’t have them any other way. He wasn’t especially surprised when word reached him that his brother had been accepted to the top Magic Knight squad. Or when he also heard that the guy had been made vice-captain. That was absolutely Langris’ M.O. Their paths would probably cross again one day but he certainly didn’t have to worry about it now.

Finral grew especially close to his squadmate Vanessa. Whenever they had a day off they were practically joined at the hip. Their days were full of shopping, gossiping, drinking, and practically anything else that was super fun to do with another person. Though he certainly hadn’t been looking for one, Finral found that he had himself a new best friend. Somehow it felt different than the last. He didn’t question it, though. He was happy with the way things were. Finally.

It was a warm day during which he and Vanessa sat outside of one of their favorite little bookshops in the capital that something unexpected happened. She'd been teasing him a bit and trying to get him to spill about what kinds of women he liked best. No matter how many times he swore he didn’t have a favorite type, she wouldn’t buy it.

“Come on, there has to be something,” Vanessa insisted. “What about hair color? Is there one in particular that catches your eye?”

Just as she asked that a vibrant head of hair caught his attention. His gaze followed the person in question. All he could do was think about how it was an exact match to the shade of Zora's hair. Finral looked over the person’s back and he realized it was a man. One wearing quite a questionable outfit, if he did say so himself. He blinked a few times then looked back at that alluring hair and didn’t even think as he muttered, “Red…”

“Ohh, you like em fiery!” Vanessa laughed loudly.

“Wait! No! that’s not what-! Ahh!” Finral shook his hands and head at the same time. His cheeks darkened with blush and he sank into himself just a bit. Being distracted by hair the same color as an old friend's was weird enough. He did not need the added butterflies in his stomach. They made no sense.

Curiosity got the better of him. He glanced up from his lap and looked at the back of the guy's head again. It was just in time to watch the man turn so he had a view of his profile. The black mask he wore certainly was interesting, but it wasn’t what caused Finral to forget how to breathe for a second. It was that eye he could see.

That unmistakably familiar shade of blue. Finral had dreamed about it countless times. He couldn’t forget it if he tried. Impossible. It couldn’t be. Of all the ridiculous coincidences in the world this one had to be the most improbable. So much had changed. If not for his eyes and hair, he might never have recognized the boy from all those years ago. Zora looked completely different, not to mention he’d ended up taller than Finral would’ve thought. Good for him, he guessed. His gaze traveled over the redhead’s outfit once more and he didn’t know what to think.

There was nothing wrong with wearing black, but what even was that shirt? Was it a shirt? More like shoulder guards or something. He didn’t know how the guy didn’t freeze his butt off being half-naked like that. What on earth had happened to him over the years? Was he even partly responsible since he’d never gone back to check up on the guy? Finral was sure he’d gone pale by now. What should he do? Say something? Ignore it?

There was such a coldness in Zora’s blue eyes now. They were hard and closed off. It pained Finral to see it since those were once the eyes of the sweetest boy he’d ever met. Guilt washed over him and he frowned. There was no way that was a coincidence.

Vanessa looked from him and down his line of sight to see what was so interesting. She hummed then nudged him with her elbow and teased, “So maybe you don’t like girls at all. Is all your flirting just for show?”

That comment knocked Finral right out of his own head and he shrieked, “Of course I like girls!”

“You're staring awfully hard at that guy over there~” Vanessa pointed out in a singsong voice as she batted her eyes at him.

“He just… I think I know him. From when we were kids.” Finral explained. His cheeks continued to burn as he muttered, “He's changed a lot though if it’s the boy I once knew…”

“Haven’t we all? You should go talk to him.” Vanessa had switched gears now. No longer teasing but encouraging him to go start a conversation.

That was exactly what Finral didn’t need. His and Zora's last encounter replayed in his head. The memory was as vivid as the day it happened. Pain from what was almost a decade ago still felt as fresh as ever. His gut twisted violently, and he was pretty sure he’d throw up if he even considered doing what she said.

There was no way Zora wanted to see him again. He’d made that perfectly clear all those years ago. He didn’t much feel like explaining all that to Vanessa, though. Finral had to change the subject before he ended up crying like some fool. He smiled at her and said, “I’m here to spend time with my best friend, not dredge up the past.”

“I’m a pretty great wingman, you know,” Vanessa declared.

Finral snorted and rolled his eyes. This was good, the conversation was headed elsewhere. He had a playful smirk upon his face as he asked, “Yeah? Why haven’t you ever helped me get a date before?”

“Truthfully?” Vanessa asked, just to be sure he wanted to know. She waited for him to nod then said, “Well, you always flirt like it’s some sort of sport or challenge. I don’t think I've ever seen you genuinely interested in anyone.”

“That’s not true, I…” Finral’s voice trailed off as he thought about it. Yeah, no, she had a point. He enjoyed flirting but perhaps that’s all there was to it. Maybe his heart had never truly been in it. Perhaps the fragile organ had never actually healed after being shattered. He’d been closed off to that sort of stuff without even realizing it. His gaze shifted to Zora and he quickly looked away again. The tips of his ears started to burn as his blush intensified.

“Until now, anyway,” Vanessa hummed. She winked at him and added, “Makes sense though. You already had your heart set on someone.”

Finral’s shoulders slumped and he shook his head. No, that wasn’t right. His heart already tried that path and failed. He couldn’t put himself through something like that again. He balled his hands into fists on his lap and mumbled, “That’s not how it is at all. You’re misreading the situation.”

Vanessa was silent as she eyed him. It was clear that he didn’t want to talk about whatever happened between them. She respected his wishes and dropped the subject. She finished off her drink then said, “If you’re sure you won’t regret it, we can go ahead and leave. I’m done. You?”

“Yes. Done. Ready when you are.” Finral nearly jumped to his feet. He needed to clear his head and he absolutely couldn’t do that with Zora walking around half-naked in the same part of the city as him. He didn’t know what that crazy outfit of his was about and he didn’t want to stick around to think about it. He was ready to go anywhere else with Vanessa. All she had to do was say the word. The past was better left where it was and Finral planned on keeping his gaze towards the future.

Just after Finral’s one-year anniversary with the Black Bulls they recruited some new members. A royal girl with an attitude to match her status, and perhaps the loudest boy he’d ever met in his life. Finral was happy enough to meet them both and welcome them into the squad just as the others had done for him. It was wonderful to have their family of misfits grow.

Time continued to fly by and he found himself unable to dwell on that random near run-in he had with Zora. That was months ago and there was so much else going on. He was a bit curious about what the guy was up to these days but he supposed he’d never know. He was focused on being the best, most supportive squademate he could. The newer members had lit a fire under them all and the entire squad had been gung-ho about improving ever since. It was a pretty crazy time.

Life had a sense of humor that Finral still failed to understand.

It was one thing to wake up in the hospital after losing a fight against your younger brother. That much couldn’t be helped. Langris had always been better at everything than him, plus he knew offensive magic. The odds were never in Finral’s favor to begin with. It was something else entirely to finally be able to portal back to the Black Bulls headquarters only to find Zora there arguing with Magna and Asta.

What they were all going on about, he didn’t know or care. Finral’s gaze was fixed upon the short, black robe that Zora wore over his not-shirt. He was sure all the questions he had were written all over his face because Asta actually stopped arguing when he noticed him. The boy turned his way and waved.

“Finral! Glad to see you! This cool-masked jerk is Zora and apparently he’s also in the squad!”

Finral was wide-eyed and all he could do was blink in response. He found himself at a loss for words. His mouth was completely dry. He looked over at the redhead. He would take his cue from the other man. How _he_ reacted would be key. Finral watched Zora blink at him. There wasn’t even a hint of recognition in those cold eyes. The redhead looked away, as if he was completely uninterested. Finral watched in disbelief as Zora called Asta a shrimp then muttered something about needing a nap and wandered off.

There was a time when he’d thought that the way his heart had shattered all those years ago had been the absolute worst feeling in the world. Finral was proven wrong in that moment. Realizing that the person he’d cared about so much when they were younger didn’t even remember him was much worse. It felt like someone was squeezing his heart in the hopes that it’d burst. Part of him wished it would. At least then he wouldn’t have to deal with the pain anymore. Finral was about to leave when the front door opened and a bunch of other squad members returned. Oh, what terrible timing.

They all crowded him and chatted about a thousand things at once. He couldn’t keep up. His chest hurt. His mind wandered. He just wanted some peace and quiet. He kept a forced smile on his face as he thanked the others for their well wishes. After they finally let him breathe a bit he scurried off to his room and locked the door behind himself.

Finral sat on the edge of his bed and bowed his head. All this time. So many years. He’d never actually forgotten about Zora. He might’ve pushed the redhead to the back of his mind, but he was always there. Finral realized that he’d held onto the hope that they’d meet again one day. Well, now they had. Somehow it was worse than if they’d never seen one another again. His bottom lip quivered and he let out a shaky breath.

He wasn’t a kid anymore. He refused to wallow in his sadness alone in his dark room. Finral knew how to handle his feelings like an adult these days. He stood up, made himself as presentable as possible, then opened a portal into the capital. He stepped through and looked at the sign above the door he stood outside of. This was the less popular bar so it wouldn’t be as crowded as the one on the other side of the city. It also happened to have better ale, but that was his and Vanessa’s personal opinions.

Finral wasn’t surprised to see his pink-haired squadmate as soon as he stepped into the bar. She’d apparently just won a drinking contest against a couple of large men who were passed out at the table she sat at. As soon as she saw him she jumped to her feet and ran over to him. Finral squeaked when he was pulled into a tight embrace. He returned the hug and smiled. He rubbed her back and shushed her when she started to mutter incoherent nonsense about how glad she was that he was awake. At least he knew her affection for him was genuine.

Vanessa dragged him over to a new table since the other one was occupied by those sleeping men. She motioned for him to sit then flagged down the waitress to order them some drinks. Finral was glad to accept. He mostly listened to her talk about whatever popped into her head over the next hour and a half. The distraction was welcome. It was a relief to get out of his own head for a bit.

When Vanessa finally started to quiet down Finral’s own thoughts started to take over. The alcohol in his system certainly didn’t help. The world around him spun and he didn’t care. He bowed his head and asked softly, “You’d tell me if I was forgettable, right? Like if I had no impact whatsoever on other people’s lives… you’d let me know?”

“Hon, are you all right?” Vanessa asked right back. That certainly wasn’t their usual kind of giddy drunken banter. Realization struck her and she gasped then said, “You met Zora again.”

Finral hid his face in his hands and nodded his head. Any attempt at a response just turned into a pathetic whimper. After everything he’d been through lately this was like a kick when he was already down. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve it.

“He doesn’t remember you.” Vanessa took an educated guess.

Finral made a choked sound. He nodded again. Though he was glad he didn’t have to say the words himself, hearing it out loud was worse somehow. The countless nights he’d spent unable to sleep because he couldn’t stop thinking about Zora were all seen in a different light now. They made him look pathetic. Maybe his family had been right from the start.

Vanessa rubbed his back soothingly. Her voice was like warm honey as she assured him, “Everything will be all right. It’s his loss. You know what? I’ve got some friends nearby. What do you say we invite them to drink with us?”

“I’m not really in the mood…” Finral was sure he sounded just as defeated as he felt.

Vanessa nudged him gently with her elbow and hummed, “It’ll be just what you need, I promise.”

Finral was too tipsy and too emotional to even bother trying to argue. Sometimes he just had to trust his best friend. He finished off his drink and then brushed himself off. He didn’t want to look like the total mess he was if he was going to be entertaining some ladies tonight.

  
♧  


Finral awoke with a gasp. As soon as he opened his eyes he squeezed them shut again. It was way too bright in the room, ugh. His head was pounding and he couldn’t remember a thing after Vanessa had hugged him and dragged him into the bar last night. Man, he’d had way too much to drink. He groaned as he used all the energy he had to push himself into an upright position.

He managed to open his eyes slowly, so that they had proper time to adjust, then look around. He was in a bed but his surroundings were unfamiliar. That made sense if he’d gotten too drunk to portal anywhere last night. They’d probably gotten rooms at the Inn that was a few doors down from the bar. He heard a rustling sound to his left then turned towards it.

Finral’s eyes widened when he saw a woman with blonde hair lying next to him. A soft grunt on the other side of him caused him to whip his head around in that direction, where a different woman with purple hair laid. He slapped his hands over his mouth to keep from letting out a surprised yelp. What the heck happened last night? He couldn’t remember a thing. Who were these women? Oh, god. What did they even _do_?

He let out an anxious squeak when the women on either side of him began to stir. Oh no. What was he supposed to do in a situation like this? He had absolutely no idea! He just sat there like a statue and tried not to breathe.

The purple haired one sat up first. She blinked a few times then smiled at him and hummed, “Mornin’, sweetie. Feelin’ any better?”

“I-I… uh….” Finral didn’t have any coherent thoughts to use so he could make a proper sentence.

“Poor thing looks scared to death. What’d you do to him?” Asked the blonde before she too sat up.

“Nothin! I just woke up!” Purple exclaimed.

“S-sorry but did the three of us–” Finral couldn’t even bring himself to finish the thought. It was way too embarrassing. Imagine having a threesome and then not remembering it. He wouldn’t be able to tell a soul about this. That was the exact opposite of what one wanted a threesome to be.

“Huh? Ohh, no don’t worry your pretty little head about that,” The blonde replied. She bopped him on the nose and smiled sweetly.

Purple-hair hummed in agreement. “We all talked for hours after Vanessa invited us out. A lot of it was drunken rambling, but then things started to get deep.”

“Deep?” Finral was almost afraid to ask. It was bad enough that he’d been blackout drunk. He couldn’t even imagine what the heck they’d talked about.

The blonde nodded and replied, “It became clear that what you needed wasn’t an exciting romp in the sack, but a kind ear. So that’s what we provided.”

“You listened to me whine about my problems?” Finral held back a groan. Of all the pathetic things he could’ve done when presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity…

“Everyone needs an outlet. You had a lot of pent up emotions weighing you down. Don’t you feel a bit lighter now?” Purple-hair asked.

“Now that you mention it… yeah….” To Finral’s surprise she was absolutely right. He did feel like some of the weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The air around him was just a bit easier to breathe.

“Good. We’re glad.” Replied the blonde.

Purple-hair pat him on the shoulder. She smiled and said, “And for the record, anyone would be lucky to have someone as sweet as you on their arm. That boy you spoke about has no idea the mistake he made when he pushed you away.”

“You’re quite the catch,” the blonde agreed with a nod. “You’ll find someone that sees that one day.”

Finral’s cheeks darkened. He could hardly believe he’d gabbed on about his personal problems to two total strangers. He was glad to find that they seemed nice enough about the whole situation. They all got out of bed and did their best to tame their hair. That was easier said than done without any provided brushes, but the women seemed up for the challenge.

Once they were all as presentable as they could possibly be, they left that inn. Both women gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before they told him they hoped to see him again soon. Finral was a blushing mess with a goofy smile on his face as he waved goodbye to the pair. He was still a bit confused by what happened, but it all seemed to turn out for the best. Now he just needed to find where Vanessa had run off to and they could portal back to the HQ.

He turned to head in the opposite direction only to come face to face with Zora of all people. He stopped dead in his tracks and made a surprised noise. Once again his gut twisted violently and he felt like he was about to throw up. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve this. The redhead’s eyes followed the women as they walked away. Oh. Before Finral could explain that it wasn’t what it looked like Zora turned his back to him. He watched the redhead stuff his hands into his pockets then grunt, “Captain’s looking for you.”

Finral couldn’t even squeak in response. Was that their big reunion? Talk about lackluster. He hadn’t even been able to speak. So Zora really had forgotten all about him. The first real friend he’d ever had simply moved on like he was not worth remembering. Finral’s heart sank and he just blinked as he watched Zora walk away without another word. He could already feel that heaviness begin to return to his shoulders.

There were a hundred and one better ways that interaction could’ve gone. He didn’t have time to dwell on that. The captain tended to get grouchy if he was made to wait long. Finral took one final look around and couldn’t see Vanessa anywhere. He figured she’d fly back on a broom if she hadn’t already. He had to get back so he could shower then go see what the captain needed. He had a feeling that he had a long day ahead of himself.

With the confirmation that Zora didn’t recall their shared past Finral made a decision. He would keep his distance. That was only fair. Respecting his old friend’s wishes felt like the right thing to do. Well, that and he didn’t trust himself not to get lost staring at the guy. He’d changed so darn much over the years that Finral wasn’t sure he’d ever get over it.

He continued to spend his free time with Vanessa, as if nothing had changed. Only it had. He swore he felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck all the time now. Especially if he and she were laughing over a joke. She was a naturally clingy person so it was common for her to be draped all over him. He didn’t mind the closeness. Most of their fellow squadmates didn’t either. Once or twice he caught Zora glaring in their direction. He shrugged it off as the guy not being fond of PDA. Well, he’d just have to get used to it around the HQ.

The more Finral told himself that he was fine with the situation the more he realized what a blatant lie that was. Part of him wanted to stomp right over to Zora and shake him as he yelled about all the good times they’d shared. He wanted to cry when he thought about how such an important time in his life meant nothing to the one person he’d hoped had also treasured it. He never acted on these feelings. As an adult it was in the redhead’s right to forget whatever he wanted in life. It’d be nice if Finral didn’t have a reminder of that thing being _him_ every time they made eye contact.

There were times when no one else was paying Zora any attention that Finral would notice the hard look in his eyes vanish. It was replaced by something he could only describe as longing. Finral got that. He could relate in too many ways. Part of him wished the redhead would talk to him about what made him feel that way. He never did. Just as quickly as the look appeared it was gone and Zora had his usual cold stare back.

Vanessa sure was gung-ho about helping him move on. Finral appreciated her efforts but it wasn’t like he could just rid himself of a torch he’d been carrying for nearly a decade. She didn’t seem convinced about that and had started setting him up on blind dates. He didn’t actually mind it since it got him out of the base. Not to mention he did like to socialize and flirt. For some reason she always insisted he tell her every detail about the date right in the middle of the common area. She was generally tipsy by the time he returned, so she was also loud about it. While it was a bit embarrassing to be put on the spot like that, her enthusiasm was infectious.

He’d caught Zora glaring at them when they’d gotten too loud on more than one occasion. Finral always shushed her afterwards but the two of them only got loud again a few minutes later. He was never sure if the redhead left the common area after that because they were being annoying or he had other things to do. Oh, well. It didn’t matter. Finral wouldn’t let it. Though he wasn’t tipsy this time, tonight was no different when it came to them being loud about his date.

“What didn’t you like about this one?” Vanessa asked loudly.

“She was great, we had a lot in common,” Finral admitted.

“But?”

Finral rubbed the back of his neck and smiled a crooked smile. “I don’t know. There was still something missing. A connection, I guess.”

“Not fiery enough, huh?” Vanessa snickered.

Finral’s cheeks darkened and he sputtered a bunch of nonsense in response. He was glad that none of the others around were paying them any attention. Also that they wouldn’t understand that even if they were. It was so embarrassing.

“I’ll do better,” Vanessa declared. “I know there’s someone out there that’ll fall head over heels for you within the first few hours of meeting you!”

“Uhh… thanks…” It was really all he could say. He was grateful for the effort, truly he was, but it kind of seemed like a waste. There wasn’t anyone like that out there. It’d take more than a few dates for something so spectacular to have a minimal chance of occurring.

Finral yawned then decided to call it a night. He told Vanessa not to pester anyone else then headed upstairs to his room. Of course Henry had been moving things around again. Finral didn’t have time to search the whole base so he just opened a portal to make his life that much easier. As soon as he stepped into his room he looked around.

He had an overwhelming feeling that someone had been in there. Recently. A quick inspection of his surroundings told him nothing was out of place. That was odd. He turned towards his bed and noticed something on his pillow. He definitely hadn’t left anything there. Finral approached cautiously, ready to open a portal and toss it through if it moved. He didn’t know what kind of prank this was but–

All thoughts he had vanished when he was finally close enough to see what was lying there. A rock. No. It couldn’t be… could it? Finral reached a shaky hand for it. The shape was the same as he remembered but it was smooth. He let out a sigh then flipped it over to see the other side. His mouth was slightly agape as his eyes traveled over the ‘Z+F’ he’d carved all those years ago. He ran his thumb across the letters just like he used to do.

It really was the same rock he’d tossed at Zora last time they’d seen one another. If that was true, then he _did_ remember him. He’d simply chosen to let him think otherwise like a big jerk. Tears filled his eyes at the realization. Finral didn’t know if he was relieved or upset. Maybe a little of both. Also just the slightest bit happy to see the silly thing again. It had been such a great source of comfort for him when younger.

Now the question he needed to answer was what changed? Why did Zora decide to finally let him know that he remembered their shared past? Finral didn’t have a clue. All he knew was that it was way too late to deal with this right now. He placed the rock onto the nightstand next to his bed and then stripped down to his underwear. He crawled into bed and got cozy. After what felt like an eternity of staring at the ceiling, he finally gave in and picked up the rock again.

It was still in such good condition. Zora had kept it safe all these years. What did that mean? He wouldn’t personally hang onto something unless it was important to him. Could the same be said about Zora? He wouldn’t know. Finral traced the Z he’d carved as he thought about it. There were too many possibilities. He couldn’t choose which one might be most likely. There was no way to tell what had been going on in the redhead’s mind over the years.

Finral smiled to himself as a random memory from when they were kids popped into his head. It had been a week or so after he’d found this rock.

_Finral sat back against the tree and looked up at the branches that danced in the breeze. His and Zora’s shoulders touched but neither of them minded. He didn’t even think about it as he asked, “Have you ever kissed a girl?”_

_“Why would I? Girls are gross, aren’t they?” Zora asked right back._

_“I think they’re pretty amazing,” Finral countered. “I’ve met actual princesses, you know.”_

_“Sounds like they’re pretty high maintenance to me.” Zora snorted. He looked at the other boy out of the corner of his eye and asked, “Have _you_ ever kissed one?”_

_“Uh uh.” Finral shook his head._

_“But you want to,” Zora finished the thought for him._

_“Maybe someday when I meet the right one. I think that’d be nice.” Finral smiled and then hugged his knees to his chest to hide his blushing face._

_Zora snorted then shoved him playfully. He had an amused gleam in his eyes when Finral yelped then toppled over. He waited for the other boy to sit upright once more then snickered, “You’re too young to be thinking about stuff like that. Just live in the moment, like me.”_

Finral rolled his eyes as he recalled the impromptu wrestling match that followed. Of course Zora hadn’t gone easy on him and he’d lost. They ended up giggling about it afterwards as they laid on their backs and watched the clouds float by. He huffed softly to himself and a little half-smile spread across his face.

He squeezed his hand shut around the rock he held. A sudden wave of determination washed over him. There was only one thing he could do about this development. He had to get the redhead alone so they could finally have a proper conversation. No more waiting around for life to happen. No more being at a loss for words when it mattered most. Finral was going to take charge.

Yet again Finral found himself thwarted by fate. Literally the day after he decided he would finally have a proper talk with Zora the two of them were sent on separate missions. Separate _long_ missions. On opposite sides of the kingdom. While he could just portal back to the HQ if he felt like it, he knew Zora couldn’t. He’d stay at the location he was assigned until the mission was complete. Finral couldn’t begin to describe how much that sucked. Though he supposed that meant there was no point in him portaling back every night.

When missions ran long it was such a chore. Finral spent his nights fiddling with the rock he’d brought along and doing his best to convince himself not to chicken out. He’d already made the decision to go through with it. The longer he waited the more he felt his resolve crumble. If Zora wanted to talk to him he would’ve by now, right? Maybe returning the rock was just some form of ten-year overdue closure.

He refused to accept that. Same for the hundred other scenarios his brain cooked up that amounted to the redhead not wanting to speak to him again. If that were the case he would’ve just thrown the rock away. Finral was sure of it. He ran his thumb over the letters carved into it idly. They would serve as his reminder that he absolutely wasn’t going to chicken out for once.

It was a whole stinking week before Finral finally returned to the base. He was exhausted. He really hoped missions like that didn’t pop up very often. Ugh. All he wanted to do was sleep in his own bed again. He certainly didn’t expect to be accosted as soon as he stepped foot into the common area.

“There he is! The almost birthday boy!” Vanessa exclaimed as she draped herself across him. She reeked of alcohol.

Finral glanced at the others around them. No one seemed to mind her little outburst. She must’ve been bothering them for a while. “Uhh. What?”

“Tomorrow's your birthday. How’d you forget?” Vanessa pouted.

“Oh. Right. It must’ve slipped my mind.” Finral did his best attempt at a shrug with her hanging off of him. Most of his birthdays did these days. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked forward to one. Heck, the only reason he even acknowledged them before joining the squad was to score a date. That only worked about forty percent of the time.

“Let’s get the pre-birthday party started!” Vanessa cheered. She pumped a fist in the air then kissed Finral’s cheek. She nuzzled that spot before she turned towards the rest of their squadmates and yelled, “Come on! Everyone take turns kissing the almost birthday boy!”

Finral chuckled nervously and looked around. This was certainly not the welcome he’d expected when he came back. He shook his head and said loudly, “I'd really prefer if that didn’t happen… but thanks anyway.”

“Don't be a party pooper!” Vanessa exclaimed.

“Kid’s tired. Leave him be.”

Finral recognized the voice that interjected. He turned his head as best he could and saw Zora right behind him. He blinked a few times as he processed what he’d just heard. Kid? Seriously? He was far from it. Was that how the guy saw him? He frowned as he tried to think up an appropriate rebuttal that didn’t make him sound immature. Sadly his mind had gone blank. It was all he could do to hold back a yelp because Zora had pulled him away from Vanessa and started to lead him upstairs. Finral’s mind attempted to process what was going on but it certainly wasn’t easy.

“Another party pooper,” Vanessa whined loudly. She waved at them and called, “Don’t worry! Tomorrow will be lots of fun!”

Finral had no idea what that meant, or if he should be worried. He did his best to overcome his shock as he let himself be lead to his room. He couldn’t recall how to make words when Zora finally lead him inside. The door shut behind them and suddenly the silence in the air was deafening. He really wished he could think of something to say. Luckily for him, he didn’t have to start the conversation.

Zora leaned against the door and crossed his arms. He had a flat expression on his face as he sighed, “Nothing to say to an old friend, huh? I suppose not since you've been avoiding me like the plague.”

That reactivated Finral's ability to speak. He turned towards the redhead and exclaimed, “You're the one that said you hated and never wanted to see me again! With the way you acted like you didn’t even recognize me I figured that still rang true!”

Zora flinched and Finral immediately felt bad about his little outburst. At the same time, he’d kept it pent up within himself for far too long. It was a relief to finally say it out loud.

“I was just a kid,” Zora replied softly. His gaze was fixed upon the ground as he sighed, “A stupid kid with way too much on his plate. I didn't know what to do with all the overwhelming feelings inside of myself so I lashed out.”

That wasn’t good enough. Not after so long. Not after how much he’d suffered. Finral balled his hands into fists and gritted his teeth then replied, “Yeah? Well, all I ever did was care about and want to help you. You're the one who threw that right back in my face. So, no, I don’t have any idea what I’m supposed to say to you almost a decade later.”

Zora shut his eyes and nodded. “Yeah, I know. I was the worst. A real idiot for acting out like that.”

OK so they agreed on one thing. Great. What now? Finral didn’t know. He certainly didn’t want to say the wrong thing and make tensions worse between them. In the end he supposed he could only speak his mind. He unballed his fists and muttered, “If nothing else, we’re squadmates now, so you don’t need to walk on eggshells around me. I’m an adult and perfectly capable of separating past from present. You go about your business and I will mine. We only need to deal with one another if and when those paths cross. Simple.”

It pained Finral to say it but it had to be done. They’d never be able to work together if they didn’t clear the air. Now that it was done he felt the worst sense of dread. He turned his back to Zora and added, “I guess I'll see you around the HQ.”

“Just tell me one thing before I go,” Zora said softly.

Finral sighed then asked, “What?”

“Did you love me?”

“_Excuse_ me?” There was absolutely no way he’d heard that right. His mind was playing tricks on him or something.

“When we were kids… did you love me?” Zora repeated, a bit louder this time.

Tears filled Finral’s eyes. There was no way he’d be able to stop the truth as it rushed past his lips. His voice was a shaky whisper as he replied, “I thought I did. Can’t really be sure. The feeling was crushed before it ever had a chance to blossom.”

The silence in the room was so loud that Finral didn’t dare breathe. All the lines he’d rehearsed and things he’d prepared himself to say over the past week had gone right out the window as soon as their conversation began. He had no idea what would happen next. The tension was going to kill him.

“Have you thought about kissing me since we met again?” Zora asked.

Finral's gaze fell to the floor and his cheeks darkened. This guy didn’t think he’d actually admit to something like that, did he? He frowned to himself and grunted, “Why would I?”

“Dunno. Feelings are weird like that. I’ve thought about it.” Zora admitted way too casually.

Yeah, sure. Finral might be inclined to actually believe that if the guy hadn’t let him believe he’d been forgotten. Maybe if he’d made a stinking effort to patch things up between them. Or perhaps if he’d even attempted to apologize. He found that he was quite perturbed by that statement and that quickly melted into something closer to anger.

Finral spun around to face him so quickly it was a wonder he didn’t get dizzy. His anger was palpable as he snapped, “I don’t get it. Am I just some joke to you? Does messing with my feelings really get you off or something, even all these years later? Or maybe it’s just some checkmark on a weird bucket list you’ve got?”

Zora looked taken aback by his outburst. He blinked a few times before he turned his head away and finally replied, “Of course not.”

That nonchalant attitude really rubbed Finral the wrong way. Now was not the time for such a thing. He’d lost all sense of reason and was basically just reacting at this point. He’d finally reached his limit. His voice cracked when he declared, “You know what? Fine. I’ll help you cross the ‘kiss an idiot noble’ one off your list since it means so much to you. Then you’ll be able to move on with your life, right?”

Finral didn’t wait for a response. He stomped right up to Zora and put his hands on either side of his face so he could pull it back towards him. Then he squeezed his eyes shut and closed the distance between them. He certainly didn’t expect to feel like the ground fell away beneath their feet. Suddenly they were the only two people left in the world and any anxiety or anger he felt melted away. He swore that he felt his whole-body tingle, as if lightning traveled along it. His body moved on its own when he leaned up on the balls of his feet just slightly.

To his surprise, Zora didn’t pull away. In fact, the redhead took a step closer to him then wrapped his arms around him. Zora tilted his head to find a better angle for the kiss. There was something indescribable about the feeling coursing through him. Finral wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so complete as he did in the redhead’s arms. He was safe and warm and happy. He was home.

Finral broke the kiss and stood there with his eyes shut. He did his best to process what just happened. No other kiss he’d ever experienced had been half as amazing. He knew in his heart that none would ever be. He swore he could still feel electricity dancing along his skin as he sighed, “Oh.”

Zora’s voice was barely above a whisper as he said, “That was the real deal. There’s no way to fake it.”

“What are you saying?” Finral finally looked at him again. He blinked as he waited for a response.

Zora brushed Finral’s hair out of his face. He tucked the longer strands behind his right ear and replied, “I’m saying that you and I are supposed to be part of each other’s lives. Explains why I’ve been in love with you since the very first time I made you laugh.”

“That was like an hour after we met,” Finral chuckled nervously.

“I know.”

Finral's cheeks burned and he found himself at a loss for words. There was so much he wanted to say. Way too much for him to sort through right now. A million and one different scenarios had played in his head when he thought about finally confronting Zora. This never once crossed his mind. He was so stunned he didn’t even realize he’d been standing there dumbstruck while the redhead caressed his cheek with his thumb. Finral’s mouth was completely dry as he looked into those sincere, blue eyes.

“I’ve missed you more than I could ever describe. Not a day has gone by that I didn’t replay that scene in my head and do things differently. I’ve apologized to you so many times in my mind that I’d actually started to believe it happened. Then we met again and it hit me like a ton of bricks that I’d never made things right between us.” Zora paused to gather his thoughts. His brown knitted together and a determined look flashed in his eyes. He refocused on Finral and continued, “I didn’t mean a thing I said that day. You were the one good thing left in my life and I managed to ruin that. I always hoped against all odds that you’d come back one day and I could fix what I’d broken, though I knew I didn’t deserve it.”

“I wanted to see you again,” Finral admitted softly. His bottom lip quivered with his attempt to hold back a sob. “but I was afraid. If I tried to explain that I didn’t mean it when I said I hated you then you confirmed that you _did_ hate me I…” His voice trailed off and he chewed on his bottom lip.

“I never hated you.” Zora shook his head to emphasize his point. His eyes were filled with what looked like countless years of pent up regret as he said, “I know it’s nearly a decade too late, but I’m sorry.”

Finral was overwhelmed by the feelings within himself. He averted his gaze from the redhead as tears leaked from his eyes. To his surprise Zora didn’t say a word. He simply wiped the tears away before they could complete their descent then kissed each of his cheeks in turn. Finral could hardly believe just how tender the action was. His legs threatened to turn to jelly from such a small thing. He really needed to say something. He just needed to find his voice again.

“I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness or a second chance,” Zora mumbled, “but I really hope we can start over.”

“And if I don’t want to start over?” Finral asked softly.

“I wouldn’t blame ya.” Zora let his hand fall away from the shorter man. He was clearly defeated as he sighed, “and I wouldn’t press the matter.”

Finral wracked his brain for something to say next. It should be cool or seem effortless or… As soon as he saw the disappointed look on Zora’s face he panicked. He didn’t have time to think about it. He just needed to speak his mind. “Can we just leave the bad stuff in the past where it belongs and skip ahead to the part where I tell you that I love you, too?” He took Zora’s hand and placed it back onto his cheek then smiled. It really felt like it belonged there. Finral maintained eye contact with him as he said, “I don’t want to start over. I want to live in the moment.”

For the first time since nearly a decade ago, Finral was able to watch all the sorrow melt away from those blue eyes he adored so much. Though they filled with tears, he knew that wasn’t out of sadness. His heart swelled at the sight. To be looked at like he was some rare jewel by the one person he’d always hoped would see him that way was an incredible feeling. Warmth spread through his entire body, starting at his core.

Zora glanced out the window next to them and muttered, “Hey, Finral?”

“Mm?”

“Happy birthday.” Zora turned back towards him and then put both hands on either side of his face before he leaned in for a kiss. Sunlight peeked over the horizon and just barely shone upon their tender moment. The warm rays danced along their skin playfully.

When the redhead pulled away from the kiss Finral smiled like an absolute goofball. He had the most content look in his eyes as he hummed, “You gave me exactly what I wanted.”

Zora huffed softly then smirked and replied, “Told you I’d get you the perfect gift someday. Sorry it took so long.”

“It was worth the wait.” Finral declared. He tossed his arms around Zora’s neck and pulled him into an enthusiastic kiss. If the redhead thought he’d be going anywhere in the next few hours, he had another thing coming. They had a lot of time to start making up for and Finral planned on enjoying every single moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to imagine Zara’s reaction to hearing that the pair are dating. It’d absolutely be something like ”Ha, took you two long enough! When’s the wedding, I have to make sure to clear my schedule!” and there would be lots of hugs because he was a good man who deserved way better. He would be their number one fan tbh
> 
> godddd poor finral had to deal with such an emotional rollercoaster... but it all worked out for the best in the end... now happy times TuT
> 
> aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa these two are too much. i adore them. they deserve all the happy endings <3


End file.
